Crews battling coal mine fire treated for carbon monoxide exposure

Firefighters have been pulled out of a burning coal mine in eastern Victoria after some of their colleagues were exposed to a poisonous gas.

At least seven firefighters have been treated after being exposed to carbon monoxide whilst fighting the fire in a disused part of the Hazelwood coal mine at Morwell.

The fire - which was ignited during the ongoing bushfires - is being fought underground and the smoke contains increased levels of carbon monoxide, which is an odourless gas which is toxic to humans and animals.

Crews have been pulled out of the coal pit and are now working on the edges of the fire.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) says the specialist firefighters needed medical treatment after finding they had higher than normal levels of carbon monoxide in their blood.

Calling it a "very challenging fire to fight," Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells says the men are being cared for.

"We have just got to get that fire out," he said.

Crews fighting the fire are required to wear personal protection equipment and air quality monitors.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley says their blood carbon monoxide levels are monitored before going underground, during breaks and the end of the shift.

"The safety of all firefighters is always the highest priority, and operations have temporarily relocated from within the mine, but will continue from the edge," he said.

Fire will take two weeks to extinguish

Meanwhile, the operator of the power station which is served by the mine says the plant should be operating at full capacity before the end of the week despite the fire.

Six of eight generators were shut down, but four are now back on line and the other two should be working by Thursday night.

Luc Dietvorst of GDF Suez says the fire will probably burn for another two weeks.

"It's the coal that's on fire and coal is like a briquette," he said.

"You can drop a bucket of water over it. It looks like the fire is out and it will come back as a smouldering fire. So it will take some time before we can really extinguish it."